


And So It Begins Again

by Empathy_S_Snitch



Series: The Neopian Saga [1]
Category: Neopets
Genre: Adoption Stories, Gen, Original Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 02:13:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14486574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Empathy_S_Snitch/pseuds/Empathy_S_Snitch
Summary: I sigh nostalgically, gathering up my courage to do what I really didn't want to do, but was going to do anyway.Was this the right decision? I have had this account for years, almost a decade.. All the achievements, all the time and energy put into it..I sigh again, this time with a look of determination on my face.I was going to do it.I was going to say goodbye to my old Neopets account I've had since I was a child.Little did I know I'd regret that decision later on in life..A new year, and I'm already bored. It's been almost a decade since I last heard of Neopets. Suddenly, I get the urge to check on the website to see if it's still up. To my surprise, it was not only up, but also had the old account I had made and abandoned over three years prior. I reminisced as I ran through the worlds with my somehow still faithful Gnorbu, slowly feeling a little sad over the fact that I had stupidly deleted such an old account with so much rich history in it. As I play on, I decide to visit the Pound. And that's where my life changed forever.





	And So It Begins Again

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically just me making up little stories for the Neopets I adopted from the Pound.
> 
> I will be writing these stories to the pets I now care for, and to hopefully get them adopted/transferred to a new loving home once I fix them up (basically healing and feeding them to full health and max hunger).
> 
> This is only the beginning of what I hope to be a string of stories, and since the beginning's basically going to be introducing me, it will be kept short and sweet!
> 
> WARNING!!: I am not associated with the original creators of the Neopets I mention, and any reference to the Neopets I now care for are in no way a reflection of the past owners/creators.
> 
> This is purely for fun, and is purely a work of fiction. Enjoy!

I step through the halls of the Pound, of which was overflowing with neglected Neopets. My bare feet made no sound as I solemnly gazed into each kennel, my heart breaking as I saw the saddened and in some cases broken gazes of abandoned pets. My eyes met theirs with steady empathy, almost in tears of the thought of not being able to bring them all back home with me.

_"I can at least foster them, give them a new name, new chance, new hope...,"_ I thought to myself sadly.

Too bad my little reverie would be immediately shattered by my little (by now very big) Gnorbu, who came stampeding down the hall I was in at full force, ramming into my back as we both tumbled to the floor, much to the other pets' delight. As the laughter died down, I spoke in a soft and gentle voice, hoping to coax my heavy pet off of me.

"Empathy, please be a dear and get off my back please, you're suffocating me..."

"Nope!," came the gleeful response to my failed attempt. "I lost you once, and I'm not gonna lose you again, you were gone for forever ya know!"

A strong twinge of guilt blossomed in the pit of my stomach, remembering not only abandoning her, but some others as well...

"Alright, good point," I said calmly, refusing to show my growing guilt and sadness to my now thrilled pet, "but I still need to get up if I'm going to help you choose your new friend."

She giggled, finally coming off my back, shaking out her dazzlingly soft blue fur I spent so long grooming back into a decent state. She pranced around me in circles, humming a happy little tune as I got up and dusted myself off. Suddenly, she whipped her head around, staring intently at a kennel at the end of the hall. She bolted off in that direction before I could even register what had happened, leaving me to chase after her in a hurry.

When I finally caught up to her, she was standing in front of an empty kennel, staring intently at a shadowy corner. As I was about to ask what she was looking at, a frail whimper came out from the half-lit edge of the kennel. Slowly, as if in slow motion, a tiny Aisha appeared. She was Striped, voided of her trademark Aisha collar and in desperate need of some warmth and hot food. She looked up at us, eyes glassy with defeat, and recited the standard greeting all Neopets are taught to say to potential adopters.

"Hello, I am Veekiu, the Striped Aisha. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I am almost 7 weeks old, and would like to have a new home. Would you like to adopt me?"

The last part was stated in such a deadpan manner, I questioned just what kind of life such a young Neopet could have had.

"Mom.. What's wrong with her?," Empathy whispered with a quiver, turning her head up to look at me with deep concern in her eyes.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know if there was anything _to_ say. This was the harsh reality of the Pound, a concept my neglected pet just couldn't grasp or wrap her head around. Unlike those in the Pound, she was left in a Neohome, albeit uncared for and starving, but still clung to the hope that someday, I would return for her. This just wasn't the case for the little Aisha who was dropped off here. I couldn't even imagine what it felt like, knowing that you were in such a sad place simply because your companion didn't want to care for you anymore.

I knelt down, putting my hand up against the wire cage door and whispered softly to the defeated creature.

"Would you like to come home with us?," I said soothingly, hoping to get any kind of response from her.

Of course, before either of us could react, a loud and joyous exclamation resounded throughout what felt like the whole Pound, making both the poor Aisha and myself jump in surprise.

"THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!!," Empathy shouted, jumping up and down for joy as the cage door rattled with her excitement. Veekiu and I made eye contact, both of thoroughly alarmed at my pet's over-enthusiasm, and ended up bursting out in laughter at Empathy's silly shenanigans.

As our laughter died down, I took another look at Veekiu. She seemed much more alive than just moments ago. It was as if I was staring at a completely different creature, completely out of place in that dingy kennel she was in. And in her eyes was something I thought had been completely erased from her being.

Hope.

I made up my mind right there and then. Reaching for the clipboard at the top of her kennel door, I signed all the necessary paperwork to bring the young Aisha home with us. Empathy and I walked side by side, enthusiasm in our voices as we discussed exactly how we were going to welcome Veekiu home.

Veekiu, on the other hand, watched on as we faded from her view, tears forming in her eyes as newfound happiness overwhelmed her, the sensation washing over her as relief overtook her body. With a soft _Whump!_ she collapsed onto the hard concrete floor, falling into a deep and much needed sleep.

Meanwhile, the two of us had reached the front of the Pound, and had handed over the registration papers and paid the registration fees for Veekiu to the kind Pink Uni at the counter.

"I hear you have made quite the impression back there!" they said with a giggle. Empathy bowed her head bashfully, finally feeling a little shame of her boisterous behaviour earlier. I just laughed, excited to welcome a new member of the family home with us.

"I'll be right with you ma'am," the Uni said, putting our papers in order and walking back into the kennel area. We looked at each other with sheer delight in our eyes, eager to see our new friend again. Soon the Uni emerged with a leash in hand, a very exhausted looking Veekiu attached to the other end.

"Here you go, have a good day ma'am, and take good care of her!," the Uni said with a smile, and untied Veekiu from the leash. At the command of a now thrilled Empathy, I placed the sleepy Aisha on her back, and walked out of the Pound, not knowing that soon this would mark the beginning of a whole new way of life for everyone in Neopia. A change for what we hope is the better, and a change for hope.


End file.
